Heartbeat Pulsing in Ear

[Lori Sobrero]

Hi, I am a recent mechanical valve recipient and was reading a lady's heart valve journal on http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/journals/ and she will be having her mitral valve repaired or replaced this week. One thing she mentioned was hearing her heartbeat in her ear. When I read this I remembered that 3 years ago right after I moved from San Jose to Portland, OR I could hear my heartbeat in my ear for 11 weeks. What cured it was auricular therapy which is needle less acupuncture. I now wonder if it was somehow related to my bad mitral valve. I only found out last December I had a murmur, so perhaps this 'heartbeat in my ear' was a first sign of my condition.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks,
Lori

 

[Ross]

I really don't think so. Just the other day, I went out with my wife in the back yard and I started hearing mine in my ear drums. I think it has more to do with blood pressure or lack of it, in my case. Don't really know for sure.

 

[Lori Sobrero]

That's interesting that it could be related to blood pressure. I'll ask my nurse this morning when I go to cardiac rehab. My BP is usually low...106/64, but it could have been elevated 3 yrs ago when I moved here, started a new job, new boss, etc.

 

[Ross]

Mine dropped suddenly while walking. Heard my heart beating in my ears and dizziness all at the same time. Checked my BP when I got in the house and was at 95/60. They have me on so many medications, any one of them can be responsible.

 

[hensylee]

I have felt/heard the beat of my heart in my ears/head but don't have an artificial valve. It must be our bp. Mine usually happens if I have overdone and it's pounding trying to catch up.

 

[Johan]

I have a bovine tissue valve and feel my heart beat (pounding) every night when I finally lay down to sleep. It is in my carotid arteries and upper chest. I have to place my head straight up to damped the pounding. Weird, but am now used to it and it does not frighten me anymore. During the day when I am up and about, even during my cardiac gym sessions, I am totally unaware of my heart.

 

[DavesMom]

Count me in! I've been able to hear my heart beating in my right ear for a long time and have never been able to find out why. It's almost constant but I guess I've just grown accustomed to it and only notice it when my heart does a little skip or something else odd. I also have a ringing in my ears so the combination is lots of fun.

Take care.

Cheers,
Michelle

 

[Glenda]

I hear my heart beating in my ear when I'm resting or going to sleep. That's also the time that I hear it skip beats. When I'm up and about or working I don't hear it, it's always when I'm resting and quiet. I guess it's better than not hearing it at all. It's like when they do the echo I always like for them to turn it on so I can hear the swishing noise it makes. I figure that's a good sign!

 

[Bill B]

I had a wooshing noise in my ears timed to my heartbeat my entire life. It was only a few years ago that I learned I had BAV, a congenital defect. I never mentioned the noise to anyone until recently. It went away after my AVR. Both my surgeon and cardiologist suspect it was related to my BAV. However, since the AVR it has been replaced with a more definite "thump" from the mechanical valve, so I still hear my heartbeat, but it is no longer the wooshing noise that characterizes a murmur.

Bill

 

[neil]

i had loud thumping in my ears after the op,i think it was mainly the left, but it does get better,

 

[JeffM]

Hi Lori,

I'm not as familiar with mitral valve issues as mine were in the aortic valve. I couldn't tell whether you experienced the ear pulsing before or after surgery, but I'll assume you meant before since your surgery was "recent" and your pulsating experince was 3 years ago. I have not had a problem with feeling my pulse in my ear since my valve replacement, but pre-op I had it a lot and it increased as the lakage or regurgitation of blood back into my left ventricle worsened. As the ventricle filled with extra blood, the stroke volume (blood that was pushed out into my vascular system) was so great that the pulse was much strong than normal. In fact, if I stood still you could actually see my whole head move slightly with each beat. I don't know if the same thing happens with mitral valve regurgitation, but that's one possible explanation. Under normal circumstances, anyone can exxperience feeling or hearing their pulse in their ears depending onn body position, temporary rises and drops in blood pressure etc.; whereas, it's more of a chronic problem before a defective valve is replaced....I think.

Hi, I am a recent mechanical valve recipient and was reading a lady's heart valve journal on http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/journals/ and she will be having her mitral valve repaired or replaced this week. One thing she mentioned was hearing her heartbeat in her ear. When I read this I remembered that 3 years ago right after I moved from San Jose to Portland, OR I could hear my heartbeat in my ear for 11 weeks. What cured it was auricular therapy which is needle less acupuncture. I now wonder if it was somehow related to my bad mitral valve. I only found out last December I had a murmur, so perhaps this 'heartbeat in my ear' was a first sign of my condition.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks,
Lori

 

[Lori Sobrero]

Thank you all for your replies. After posting this thread yesterday I googled 'heart pulsing in ear' and I was amazed at how many threads there were with this condition. There were several causes from high blood pressure, vascular tinnitus, chronic inflammation/infection of the middle ear...the list goes on and on. I remember going to the doctor for this issue and there was no fluid in my ear, so my doc recommended I go somewhere and have my ears 'candled' which is a procedure where you light these hollow / cone shaped beeswax candles which draw the wax out of your ears. I had this procedure done that very day and although it felt wonderful and I got to see the amount of wax which came out, my pulsing continued. This same lady performed the auricular therapy a few days later which is a bio feedback probe like tool used to balance the acupuncture points in my ear, the pulsing stopped. images of the points of the ear: http://images.google.com/images?cli...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=5&ved=0CDUQsAQwBA
My pulsing was 24/7 and existed 11 weeks. I don't think I could have endured months or years like some folks have and I was glad and relieved when it stopped. I guess the good news is it doesn't appear to be linked to valve disorders and that was my initial concern. Thank you again for your replies/feedback! Lori

 

[drivetopless]

I hear my heart in my ears when it's too quiet and I'm trying to fall asleep. I suspect this will get louder after I have AVR. In prep and 'cause I love my sleep, I'm training myself to fall asleep with soft tv or music. I've heard music or white noise in the background while trying to fall asleep can make the audible heartbeat less noticable.

 

[swim mom]

I don't have anything to add except I love Hood River! I am from The Dalles and was just in Hood River over Easter

 

[Cherie']

Lori,
Do you still hear heartbeat plsing in ear? i am 3 weeks, 3 days, post-op and it is driving me crazy. It pulses in my right ear constantly - and in my throat, stomach, chest, back. Driving me CRAZYYYYYYY!!!!!!